Feeding level during the last week of gestation can influence performance of sows and their litters in the subsequent lactation.

This study investigated the impact of feeding level during the last week of gestation on performance of sows and their litters in the subsequent lactation. A total of 48 sows were assigned to one of six feeding levels (1.8, 2.4, 3.1, 3.7, 4.3, or 5.0 kg/d) from day 108 of gestation until farrowing. Post-farrowing, all sows were fed similarly during lactation with a gradual increase in feed allowance in accordance with Danish recommendation until it reached the maximum allowance of 9 kg/d on day 17 of lactation. Plasma samples were collected from the sows during farrowing and lactation, and sow's body weight and backfat thickness, and milk samples were taken during lactation. Litters were standardized to have 13 to 15 piglets each and weighed once weekly during lactation. Plasma concentrations of urea, acetate, and butyrate in sows linearly increased (P < 0.001), while non-esterified fatty acids linearly decreased (P < 0.001) during farrowing with increasing feeding level. Moreover, concentrations of triglycerides (P < 0.001), acetate (P = 0.007), and succinate (P < 0.001) were greater in plasma collected at the onset of farrowing compared to the end of farrowing. Conversely, concentrations of glucose, urea, and butyrate (P < 0.001) were lower in plasma collected at the onset of farrowing than at the end. Sows fed 2.4 and 3.1 kg/d exhibited greater triglyceride concentrations than those fed 3.7 (P = 0.03) and 5.0 (P = 0.02) kg/d. Sows fed 1.8 kg/d during the last week of gestation had lower milk yield in wk 1 (P < 0.001) and wk 2 (P = 0.001) of lactation compared to the other groups. Additionally, litter weight gain (P = 0.04) and litter weaning weight (P = 0.007) were lower in sows fed 1.8 kg/d compared to the other groups. The greatest milk yield, litter growth, and litter size were observed in sows fed 3.7 kg/d during the last week of gestation, whereas the estimate generated by the regression model revealed that sows should have been provided with 4.0 to 4.1 kg/d as an adequate feeding level to maximize these performances in the subsequent lactation. Interestingly, feeding level during the last week of gestation did not influence feed intake during lactation. In conclusion, this study highlights the significance of adequate feed supply (4.0 to 4.1 kg/d) during the last week of gestation in order to maximize performance of sows in the subsequent lactation.

Feeding sows at high or ad libitum level during an extended gestation period has been found to have a negative impact on the subsequent lactation performance. Conversely, in some European countries, it has been a common practice to reduce the feed allowance during the last 2 to 3 d before expected farrowing to mitigate issues like constipation and postpartum health problems such as mastitis, metritis, and agalactia. However, recent studies suggest that sows should be fed approximately 4 kg/d during transition period to improve farrowing performance. In the present study, we investigated the carry-over effects of feeding level (dose­response design) during the last week of gestation on lactation performance of sows and their litters in the subsequent lactation. The findings revealed that a lower feeding level during the last week of gestation reduced milk yield and litter size at weaning. Milk yield, litter growth, and litter size at weaning were greater in sows supplied with 3.7 kg/d during the last week of gestation. However, the estimate generated by the regression model indicates that sows should be provided with 4.0 to 4.1 kg/d during the final week of gestation to enhance their performance in the subsequent lactation. Therefore, the present results emphasize the benefits of maintaining an adequate feeding level during the last week of gestation to improve sows' lactation performance in the subsequent lactation.

Effects of whey protein and dietary fiber intake on insulin sensitivity, body composition, energy expenditure, blood pressure, and appetite in subjects with abdominal obesity.

BACKGROUND: Recently, we demonstrated that whey protein (WP) combined with low dietary fiber improved lipemia, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in subjects with abdominal obesity. In the present study, we investigated the effects of intake of WP and dietary fiber from enzyme-treated wheat bran on other metabolic parameters of the metabolic syndrome. METHODS: The study was a 12-week, double-blind, randomized, controlled, parallel intervention study. We randomized 73 subjects with abdominal obesity to 1 of 4 iso-energetic dietary interventions: 60 g per day of either WP hydrolysate or maltodextrin (MD) combined with high-fiber (HiFi; 30 g dietary fiber/day) or low-fiber (LoFi; 10 g dietary fiber/day) cereal products. We assessed changes in insulin sensitivity, gut hormones (GLP-1, GLP-2, GIP, and peptide YY), body composition, 24-h BP, resting energy expenditure and respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and appetite. RESULTS: Sixty-five subjects completed the trial. Subjective hunger ratings were lower after 12 weeks of WP compared with MD, independent of fiber content (P = 0.02). We found no effects on ratings of satiety, fullness or prospective food consumption for either of the interventions. Intake of WP combined with LoFi increased the postprandial peptide YY response. There were no effects of WP or fiber on insulin sensitivity, body composition, energy expenditure, incretins, or 24-h BP. CONCLUSIONS: WP consumption for 12 weeks reduced subjective ratings of hunger in subjects with abdominal obesity. Neither WP nor dietary fiber from wheat bran affected insulin sensitivity, 24-h BP, gut hormone responses, body composition, or energy expenditure compared with MD and low dietary fiber.

Effects of dietary fibre and protein content on intestinal fibre degradation, short-chain fatty acid and microbiota composition in a high-fat fructose-rich diet induced obese Göttingen Minipig model.

Obesity-related metabolic syndrome has been linked with gut microbiome dysbiosis while dietary fibre (DF) and protein can modify the gut microbial ecosystem and metabolism. After 20-weeks of high-fat fructose-rich diet feeding for the development of obesity, forty-three 30-week old Göttingen Minipigs (31 ± 4.0 kg body weight) were allocated to one of the four diets with low or high DF and protein contents in a two by two factorial design and digesta were collected from the intestinal segments of minipigs after 8 weeks at libitum feeding. High DF content increased (P < 0.001) while high protein content decreased (P = 0.004) the content of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) in all intestinal segments. Arabinoxylan (AX) as proportion of NSP was higher with high DF (P < 0.001) but decreased from the distal small intestine to the mid colon (P < 0.001). High DF increased the relative abundance of Blautia, Faecalibacterium and Peptococcus in the caecum, the mid colon and faeces, reduced the intestinal concentrations of total short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) (P = 0.020) and acetate (P = 0.011) but slightly increased butyrate pools in the large intestine (P≤ 0.050) compared to low DF. High protein increased the SCFA (P = 0.026) and propionate (P = 0.044) concentrations in the gut. High DF induced a lower increase in the BCFA concentration and proportion throughout the colon (P < 0.001). The butyrate concentrations in plasma from the jugular vein were increased with high DF diets (P = 0.031), whereas the propionate concentrations were increased (P < 0.001) and succinate were decreased (P = 0.001) with high protein diets compared with low protein diets. In conclusion, AX in the high DF diets was continuously degraded up to the mid-colon, associated with enriched butyrate-producing bacteria and slightly improved butyrate production, while protein fermentation was attenuated by high DF and high protein did not show prebiotic effects in this obese minipig model.

The Relationship between In Vitro and In Vivo Starch Digestion Kinetics of Breads Varying in Dietary Fibre.

The relationship between in vitro and in vivo starch digestion kinetics was studied in portal vein catheterised pigs fed breads varying in dietary fibre (DF) content and composition. The breads were a low DF white wheat bread, two high DF whole grain rye breads without and with whole kernels and two experimental breads with added arabinoxylan or oat ß-glucan concentrates, respectively. In vitro, samples were collected at 0, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 120 and 180 min and the cumulative hydrolysis curve for starch was modelled, whereas the in vivo cumulative absorption models for starch were based on samples taken every 15 min up to 60 min and then every 30 min up to 240 min. The starch hydrolysis rate in vitro (0.07 to 0.16%/min) was far higher than the rate of glucose appearance in vivo (0.017 to 0.023% absorbed starch/min). However, the ranking of the breads was the same in vitro and in vivo and there was a strong relationship between the kinetic parameters.

The microbial fermentation characteristics depend on both carbohydrate source and heat processing: a model experiment with ileo-cannulated pigs.

The effects of carbohydrate (CHO) source and processing (extrusion cooking) on large intestinal fermentation products were studied in ileo-cannulated pigs as a model for humans. Pigs were fed diets containing barley, pea or a mixture of potato starch:wheat bran (PSWB) either raw or extrusion cooked. Extrusion cooking reduced the amount of starch fermented in the large intestine by 52-96% depending on the CHO source and the total pool of butyrate in the distal small intestine + large intestine by on average 60% across diets. Overall, extrusion cooking caused a shift in the composition of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) produced towards more acetate and less propionate and butyrate. The CHO source and processing highly affected the fermentation characteristics and extrusion cooking generally reduced large intestinal fermentation and resulted in a less desirable composition of the fermentation products. The latter outcome is non-conducive to a healthy large intestinal environment and its resulting metabolic health.

Obese Mice Fed a Diet Supplemented with Enzyme-Treated Wheat Bran Display Marked Shifts in the Liver Metabolome Concurrent with Altered Gut Bacteria.

BACKGROUND: Enzyme-treated wheat bran (ETWB) contains a fermentable dietary fiber previously shown to decrease liver triglycerides (TGs) and modify the gut microbiome in mice. It is not clear which mechanisms explain how ETWB feeding affects hepatic metabolism, but factors (i.e., xenometabolites) associated with specific microbes may be involved. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to characterize ETWB-driven shifts in the cecal microbiome and to identify correlates between microbial changes and diet-related differences in liver metabolism in diet-induced obese mice that typically display steatosis. METHODS: Five-week-old male C57BL/6J mice fed a 45%-lard-based fat diet supplemented with ETWB (20% wt:wt) or rapidly digestible starch (control) (n = 15/group) for 10 wk were characterized by using a multi-omics approach. Multivariate statistical analysis was used to identify variables that were strong discriminators between the ETWB and control groups. RESULTS: Body weight and liver TGs were decreased by ETWB feeding (by 10% and 25%, respectively; P < 0.001), and an index of liver reactive oxygen species was increased (by 29%; P < 0.01). The cecal microbiome showed an increase in Bacteroidetes (by 42%; P < 0.05) and a decrease in Firmicutes (by 16%; P < 0.05). Metabolites that were strong discriminators between the ETWB and control groups included decreased liver antioxidants (glutathione and α-tocopherol); decreased liver carbohydrate metabolites, including glucose; lower hepatic arachidonic acid; and increased liver and plasma ß-hydroxybutyrate. Liver transcriptomics revealed key metabolic pathways affected by ETWB, especially those related to lipid metabolism and some fed- or fasting-regulated genes. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these changes indicate that dietary fibers such as ETWB regulate hepatic metabolism concurrently with specific gut bacteria community shifts in C57BL/6J mice. It is proposed that these changes may elicit gut-derived signals that reach the liver via enterohepatic circulation, ultimately affecting host liver metabolism in a manner that mimics, in part, the fasting state.

Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet Supplemented with Resistant Starch Display Marked Shifts in the Liver Metabolome Concurrent with Altered Gut Bacteria.

BACKGROUND: High-amylose-maize resistant starch type 2 (HAMRS2) is a fermentable dietary fiber known to alter the gut milieu, including the gut microbiota, which may explain the reported effects of resistant starch to ameliorate obesity-associated metabolic dysfunction. OBJECTIVE: Our working hypothesis was that HAMRS2-induced microbiome changes alter gut-derived signals (i.e., xenometabolites) reaching the liver via the portal circulation, in turn altering liver metabolism by regulating gene expression and other pathways. METHODS: We used a multi-omics systems biology approach to characterize HAMRS2-driven shifts to the cecal microbiome, liver metabolome, and transcriptome, identifying correlates between microbial changes and liver metabolites under obesogenic conditions that, to our knowledge, have not previously been recognized. Five-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were fed an energy-dense 45% lard-based-fat diet for 10 wk supplemented with either 20% HAMRS2 by weight (n = 14) or rapidly digestible starch (control diet; n = 15). RESULTS: Despite no differences in food intake, body weight, glucose tolerance, fasting plasma insulin, or liver triglycerides, the HAMRS2 mice showed a 15-58% reduction in all measured liver amino acids, except for Gln, compared with control mice. These metabolites were equivalent in the plasma of HAMRS2 mice compared with controls, and transcripts encoding key amino acid transporters were not different in the small intestine or liver, suggesting that HAMRS2 effects were not simply due to lower hepatocyte exposure to systemic amino acids. Instead, alterations in gut microbial metabolism could have affected host nitrogen and amino acid homeostasis: HAMRS2 mice showed a 62% increase (P < 0.0001) in 48-h fecal output and a 41% increase (P < 0.0001) in fecal nitrogen compared with control mice. Beyond amino acid metabolism, liver transcriptomics revealed pathways related to lipid and xenobiotic metabolism; and pathways related to cell proliferation, differentiation, and growth were affected by HAMRS2 feeding. CONCLUSION: Together, these differences indicate that HAMRS2 dramatically alters hepatic metabolism and gene expression concurrent with shifts in specific gut bacteria in C57BL/6J mice.

Validated LC-MS/MS Method for the Quantification of Free and Bound Lignans in Cereal-Based Diets and Feces.

Despite the extensive literature describing the biological effects of phenolic compounds from cereals, little is known about their bioaccessibility in the food matrix. This paper describes a validated LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of free and total content (free + bound) of eight plant lignans (matairesinol, hydroxymatairesinol, secoisolariciresinol, lariciresinol, isolariciresinol, syringaresinol, medioresinol, and pinoresinol) and two enterolignans (enterodiol and enterolactone) in cereal-based diets/bread and feces. The method consisted of alkaline methanolic extraction combined with enzymatic hydrolyses, for the measurement of the total concentration of lignans, and methanolic extraction combined with enzymatic hydrolysis, for the measurement of free lignans, followed by solid phase extraction (SPE). The strength of this LC-MS/MS method is that it can be combined with different types of samples, because the SPE and LC-MS/MS platforms are similar to our previously published method for plasma and urine.

High-Throughput LC-MS/MS Method for Direct Quantification of Glucuronidated, Sulfated, and Free Enterolactone in Human Plasma.

Sulfation and glucuronidation constitute a major pathway in humans and may play an important role in biological activity of metabolites including the enterolignan, enterolactone. Because the aromatic structure of enterolactone has similarities to steroid metabolites, it was hypothesized that enterolactone may protect against hormone-dependent cancers. This led to numerous epidemiological studies. In this context, there has been a demand for rapid, sensitive, high-throughput methods to measure enterolactone in biofluids. Different methods have been developed using GC-MS, HPLC, LC-MS/MS and a fluoroimmunoassay; however, most of these methods measure the total concentration of enterolactone, without any specification of its conjugation pattern. Here for the first time we present a high-throughput LC-MS/MS method to quantify enterolactone in its intact form as glucuronide, sulfate, and free enterolactone. The method has shown good accuracy and precision at low concentration and very high sensitivity, with LLOQ for enterolactone sulfate at 16 pM, enterolactone glucuronide at 26 pM, and free enterolactone at 86 pM. The short run time of 2.6 min combined with simple sample clean up and high sensitivity make this method attractive for the high-throughput of samples needed for epidemiological studies. Finally, we have adapted the new method to quantify enterolactone and its conjugates in 3956 plasma samples from an epidemiological study. We found enterolactone glucuronide to be the major conjugation form and that conjugation pattern was similar between men and women.

Targeted LC-MS/MS Method for the Quantitation of Plant Lignans and Enterolignans in Biofluids from Humans and Pigs.

Lignans have gained nutritional interest due to their promising role in the prevention of lifestyle diseases. However, epidemiological studies are in need of more evidence to link the intake of lignans to this promising role. In this context, it is necessary to study large population groups to obtain sufficient statistical power. Therefore, there is a demand for fast, sensitive, and accurate methods for quantitation with high throughput of samples. This paper presents a validated LC-MS/MS method for the quantitation of eight plant lignans (matairesinol, hydroxymatairesinol, secoisolariciresinol, lariciresinol, isolariciresinol, syringaresinol, medioresinol, and pinoresinol) and two enterolignans (enterodiol and enterolactone) in both human and pig plasma and urine. The method showed high selectivity and sensitivity allowing quantitation of lignans in the range of 0.024-100 ng/mL and with a run time of only 4.8 min per sample. The method was successfully applied to quantitate lignans in biofluids from ongoing studies with humans and pigs.

Fiber and nonstarch polysaccharide content and variation in common crops used in broiler diets.

The current paper reviews content and variation in fiber and nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP) of common crops used in broiler diets. The cereal grain is a complex structure, and its cell walls (CW) differ in their composition and hence properties. Arabinoxylan (AX), mixed linkage (1→3; 1→4)-ß-glucan (ß-glucan), cellulose, and the noncarbohydrate component lignin are the predominant polymers in cereals. They occur in different proportions depending on the species and tissue type. Rye, triticale, wheat, corn, and sorghum are all rich in AX, whereas barley and oats contain a high level of ß-glucan. The AX from rye, wheat, and triticale and ß-glucan from barley and oats are to a large extent soluble, whereas the solubility of AX found in corn and sorghum is lower than the other cereals. The ratio of arabinose to xylose gives a crude indication of the AX structure, which varies between the endosperm, the aleurone and the outer grain layers as well as between the same tissues from different grains. Varietal differences in AX structure of the endosperm are also identified. From the analysis of the released oligomers after hydrolysis with a specific (1→3,1→4)-ß-d-glucan hydrolase, it is found that the ratio of trisaccharides (degree of polymerization 3) and tetrasaccharides (degree of polymerization 4) varies depending on the source, being higher in barley than in oats but lower than in wheat. The molecular weight of ß-glucan is higher than that of AX, and both polymers contribute to the viscosity of the extract. However, because AX molecules are more resistant to degradation than ß-glucan, the use of AX rich grains in broiler diets is usually more problematic than those containing high concentrations of ß-glucan. The cereal coproducts (brans and hulls) are concentrated sources of cellulose, lignin, and insoluble AX, but ß-glucan can also be present mainly in rye and wheat brans. The CW composition of seeds and grains of protein crops and feedstuffs are different from that of cereals. The main CW polymers are pectic substances (homogalacturonan, rhamnogalacturonan type I and II, xylogalacturonan, and arabinogalactans type I and II), xyloglucans, and cellulose, but there are significant differences in the composition of the parenchymatous (cotyledon) tissues and that of the hulls. In the hulls, cellulose is the predominant polysaccharide, followed by acidic xylans and pectic substances. The implications of the heterogeneous CW for the action of exogenous enzymes are discussed.

Linseed dietary fibers reduce apparent digestibility of energy and fat and weight gain in growing rats.

Dietary fibers (DF) may affect energy balance, an effect often ascribed to the viscous nature of some water soluble DF, which affect luminal viscosity and thus multiple physiological processes. We have tested the hypothesis that viscous linseed DF reduce apparent nutrient digestibility, and limit weight gain, in a randomized feeding trial where 60 male, growing, Wistar rats, with an initial weight of ~200 g, were fed different diets (n = 10 per group): low DF control (C), 5% DF from cellulose (5-CEL), CEL + 5% DF from whole (5-WL) or ground linseed (5-GL), CEL + 5% DF from linseed DF extract (5-LDF), and CEL + 10% DF from linseed DF extract (10-LDF). Diets were provided ad libitum for 21 days. Feed intake and faecal output were measured during days 17-21. Faecal fat excretion increased with increasing DF content and was highest in the 10-LDF group. Apparent fat digestibility was highest with the C diet (94.9% ± 0.8%) and lowest (74.3% ± 0.6%) with the 10-LDF diet, and decreased in a non-linear manner with increasing DF (p < 0.001). Apparent fat digestibility also decreased with increased accessibility of DF (5-WL vs. 5-GL) and when the proportion of viscous DF increased (5-GL vs. 5-LDF). The 10-LDF resulted in a lower final body weight (258 ± 6.2 g) compared to C (282 ± 5.9 g), 5-CEL (281 ± 5.9 g), and 5-WL (285 ± 5.9 g) (p < 0.05). The 10-LDF diet reduced body fat compared to 5-CEL (p < 0.01). In conclusion, DF extracted from linseed reduced apparent energy and fat digestibility and resulted in restriction of body weight gain in growing rats.

Phenolic acids from wheat show different absorption profiles in plasma: a model experiment with catheterized pigs.

The concentration and absorption of the nine phenolic acids of wheat were measured in a model experiment with catheterized pigs fed whole grain wheat and wheat aleurone diets. Six pigs in a repeated crossover design were fitted with catheters in the portal vein and mesenteric artery to study the absorption of phenolic acids. The difference between the artery and the vein for all phenolic acids was small, indicating that the release of phenolic acids in the large intestine was not sufficient to create a porto-arterial concentration difference. Although, the porto-arterial difference was small, their concentrations in the plasma and the absorption profiles differed between cinnamic and benzoic acid derivatives. Cinnamic acids derivatives such as ferulic acid and caffeic acid had maximum plasma concentration of 82 ± 20 and 200 ± 7 nM, respectively, and their absorption profiles differed depending on the diet consumed. Benzoic acid derivatives showed low concentration in the plasma (<30 nM) and in the diets. The exception was p-hydroxybenzoic acid, with a plasma concentration (4 ± 0.4 µM), much higher than the other plant phenolic acids, likely because it is an intermediate in the phenolic acid metabolism. It was concluded that plant phenolic acids undergo extensive interconversion in the colon and that their absorption profiles reflected their low bioavailability in the plant matrix.

Concentrated arabinoxylan in wheat bread has beneficial effects as rye breads on glucose and changes in gene expressions in insulin-sensitive tissues of Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats.

The health-promoting effects of dietary fiber may vary with content, structure, and composition in the diet. The aim was to study how low-fiber wheat bread (WB), wheat bread supplemented with wheat arabinoxylan (AX) or oat ß-glucan (BG), whole meal rye bread (RM), and rye bread with kernels (RK) affected central parameters of glucose and lipid metabolism and gene changes of Zucker diabetic fatty rats. Blood glucose response areas after an oral glucose tolerance test were significantly lower after AX (mean ± SEM; 2117 ± 170 mmol/L·180 min), RM (1978 ± 206 mmol/L·180 min), and RK (2234 ± 262 mmol/L·180 min) breads than after WB (3586 ± 100 mmol/L·180 min; p < 0.0001). AX, RK, and RM changed expressions of adipose GAPDH, AMPK, FAS, SREBP-1c, and hepatic PCG-1α, whereas BG had similar effects as WB. Thus, arabinoxylan added to wheat bread had beneficial effects on glycemic control as whole grain rye bread in this animal model.

Multicompartmental nontargeted LC-MS metabolomics: explorative study on the metabolic responses of rye fiber versus refined wheat fiber intake in plasma and urine of hypercholesterolemic pigs.

A multicompartmental nontargeted LC-MS metabolomics approach was used to study the metabolic responses on plasma and urine of hypercholesterolemic pigs after consumption of diets with contrasting dietary fiber composition (whole grain rye with added rye bran versus refined wheat). To study the metabolic responses, we performed a supervised multivariate data analyses used for pattern recognition, which revealed marked effects of the diets on both plasma and urine metabolic profiles. Diverse pools of metabolites were responsible for the discrimination between the diets. Elevated levels of phenolic compounds and dicarboxylic acids were detected in urine of pigs after rye consumption compared to refined wheat. Furthermore, consumption of rye was characterized by lower levels of linoleic acid derived oxylipins and cholesterol in the plasma metabolic profiles. These results indicate that higher consumption of nonrefined dietary fiber is reflected in higher excretion of phenolic compounds and dicarboxylic acids in urine and lower levels of linoleic acid derived oxylipins and cholesterol in plasma, which can be linked to beneficial health effects of rye components. On the other hand, pro-inflammatory lipid mediators were detected in higher concentration after rye consumption compared to refined wheat, which is opposite to what would be expected. These may indicate that even though a positive lowering effect with respect to cholesterol and fatty acids was achieved, this effect of rye dietary fiber was not sufficient to prevent inflammation in pigs. Moreover, we performed an alignment of the metabolic profiles between the breads consumed by pigs, plasma, and urine with the purpose to follow the metabolic fate of the compounds and to identify their pathways. One metabolite was identified in all three compartments, 16 metabolites were similar between bread and plasma, 3 were similar between plasma and urine, and 2 were similar between bread and urine. The use of multicompartmental metabolomics offered higher order information, including intercompartment relationships, and provided novel targets for future research.

Effects of isolated and complex dietary fiber matrices in breads on carbohydrate digestibility and physicochemical properties of ileal effluent from pigs.

To assess the effects of content and structure of dietary fiber (DF) on the carbohydrate digestibility and physicochemical properties of ileal digesta, five bread diets were studied in an experiment with ileum-cannulated pigs in a crossover design. The diets consisted of two experimental breads based on white wheat flour with added wheat arabinoxylan (AX) or with added isolated oat ß-glucan (BG), which were compared with a low-DF commercial white wheat bread (WF) and two commercial high-DF, dark ground rye bread (GR) and rye bread with kernels (RK) as positive controls. There was no profound effect of either DF content, structure, viscosity, or water-binding capacity on the ileal digestibility of starch, which was almost completely digested in the small intestine. Arabinoxylan and ß-glucan were 11 and 81% degraded in the ileum, respectively, which resulted in a significant increase and decrease of ileal extract viscosities, respectively. It is concluded that the viscosity-elevating properties of soluble DF in breads and ileal digesta are strongly dependent on the content and structure of DF and degree of resistance toward microbial enzymes.

Changes in molecular characteristics of cereal carbohydrates after processing and digestion.

Different extraction, purification and digestion methods were used to investigate the molecular properties of carbohydrates in arabinoxylan and ß-glucan concentrates, dietary fiber (DF) rich breads and ileum content of bread fed pigs. The breads studied were: a low DF wheat bread (WF), whole meal rye bread (GR), rye bread with kernels (RK), wheat bread supplemented with wheat arabinoxylan concentrate (AX) and wheat bread supplemented with oat ß-glucan concentrate (BG). The weight average molecular weight (M(w)) of extractable carbohydrates in ß-glucan concentrate decreased eight-fold after inclusion in the BG bread when exposed to in vitro digestion, while the M(w) of purified extractable carbohydrates in AX bread was reduced two-fold, and remained almost unaffected until reaching the terminal ileum of pigs. Similarly, the M(w) of purified extractable carbohydrates in GR and RK bread was not significantly changed in the ileum. The AX bread resulted in the highest concentration of dissolved arabinoxylan in the ileum among all the breads that caused a substantial increased in ileal AX viscosity. Nevertheless, for none of the breads, the M(w) of extractable carbohydrates was related neither to the bread extract nor ileal viscosity.

Equine pre-caecal and total tract digestibility of individual carbohydrate fractions and their effect on caecal pH response.

The working hypothesis was that a minor postprandial caecal pH decline would affect apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of the fibre fraction in horses and, hence, that soluble fibre would amplify fermentation and consequently increase ATTD of fibre. This study was a 4 × 4 Latin Square design with a sequence of 17 days adaptation to the ration followed by 8 sampling days. The feed rations consisted of only timothy hay (Group H), hay plus molassed sugar beet pulp combined with either whole oats (Group OB) or barley (Group BB) and hay plus loose chaff based concentrate (Group M). Four horses fitted with permanent caecal cannulas and collection harnesses were used. A pH electrode with logger was inserted through the cannula and caecal pH was recorded at 1 min intervals for 8 h. The mobile nylon bag technique was used to quantify pre-caecal loss (PCL) of individual feedstuffs. Fibre was analysed as dietary fibre (DF), non-starch polysaccharides, soluble non-cellulosic polysaccharides (S-NCP), insoluble non-cellulosic polysaccharide (I-NCP) and neutral detergent fibre. The ATTD of the S-NCP fraction was above 0.8, which was 60% higher than for the I-NCP fraction. The PCL of starch were 0.98 (oats) and 0.75 (barley). The BB diet lowered (p < 0.001) postprandial caecal pH more than the other diets and a significant correlation was found between the lowest pH and ATTD of I-NCP (r = -0.66; p = 0.005). In conclusion, this study successfully measured the in vivo digestibility of individual fibre fractions and found that S-NCP was more digestible than the I-NCP, and that a single meal of unprocessed barley was sufficient to decrease caecal pH to such an extent that the fibre digestibility of the whole diet was negatively affected.

Influence of different cultivation methods on carbohydrate and lipid compositions and digestibility of energy of fruits and vegetables.

BACKGROUND: Environmental as well as cultivation factors may greatly influence the chemical composition of plants. The main factors affecting the chemical composition of foodstuff are level and type of fertilizer (conventional and organic cultivation systems), location or soil type, and year of harvest. Organic foods are defined as products that are produced under controlled cultivation conditions characterized by the absence of synthetic fertilisers and very restricted use of pesticides. Very limited information is available regarding the impact of organic cultivation systems on the composition of carbohydrates and fatty acids of fruits and vegetables. The objective was to investigate the influence of organic and conventional cultivation systems on the carbohydrate and fatty acid composition and digestibility of the energy of apple, carrot, kale, pea, potato, and rape seed oil. RESULTS: Carbohydrate and lignin values ranged from 584 g kg⁻¹ dry matter in kale to 910 g kg⁻¹ DM in potato, but with significant differences in the proportion of sugars, starch, non-starch polysaccharides, and lignin between the foodstuffs. Triacylglycerol was the major lipid class in pea, with 82% of total fatty acids, as opposed to apple, with only 35% of fatty acids of the ether extract. The most important factor influencing the digestibility of energy, and consequently faecal bulking, was the content of dietary fibre. CONCLUSION: The cultivation system had minor impact on the carbohydrate and lipid composition in the investigated foodstuffs or on the digestibility of energy when assessed in the rat model. Faecal bulking was related to dietary fibre in a linear fashion.